Former West Ham coach Wally Downes was confirmed as AFC Wimbledon’s new manager on Tuesday.
Photograph: Sean Dempsey/PA

Kick It Out, football’s anti-discrimination charity, has expressed its “serious concern” over tweets by the new AFC Wimbledon manager, Wally Downes.

The League One club appointed their former player as manager on Tuesday despite him sending at least one tweet that mocked football’s Rainbow Laces campaign. Now in its sixth year, the campaign was started by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) charity Stonewall to fight homophobia in sport. Wimbledon’s players wore rainbow laces during their home game against Southend last month, with the corner flags and substitution boards also sporting the distinctive colour scheme. And in 2013, the League One club became the first professional team to join the pan-European “Football Fans Against Homophobia” campaign.

Rainbow corner flags and armbands arrive to welcome LGBT fans

Read more

But in September, Downes tweeted comments, while coaching in India, which appeared to mock the campaign and used the hashtag RainbowLacesTurbans#. The 57-year-old has now deleted his Twitter account.

In a statement, Kick It Out said: “We have been speaking to the club over the last few days and expressed our serious concerns over some of the tweets from Wally Downes.”

AFC Wimbledon addressed the matter in their statement to announce Downes’ appointment. “During the recruitment process we became aware of some use of social media by Wally that is not consistent with our values,” the club said. “We have talked at length with Wally about this, who has accepted that these messages were ill-judged and he has assured us they do not represent his views.

“In the light of these discussions, we are satisfied that these do not represent Wally’s views. We have agreed a series of actions with Wally that we believe will demonstrate his commitment to the club’s values.”

Downes, who succeeds Neil Ardley, said: “I am very proud to be appointed as manager of a club I love dearly. I apologise for my previous use of social media – my comments were meant to be humorous but on reflection they were a mistake.

“ I am very aware of my responsibilities as Wimbledon’s manager and immensely proud to have been appointed. I am now looking forward to working flat out to help to keep the club in League One.”

Kirsty Clarke, the director of sport at Stonewall, said: “Tackling offensive comments is a crucial part of helping LGBT people feel welcome in sport. Language is really influential and so it’s important Wally Downes recognises this with his apology.

“It’s also important AFC Wimbledon have stepped up to challenge his abusive comments. We hope Downes reflects seriously on his apology and turns it into action to help sport become a more inclusive place for LGBT people.”

Downes’s appointment will be warmly received by most Wimbledon fans as he represents a link to the club’s “Crazy Gang” era in the 1980s.